About Us

The mission of The PLUS Company, an acronym for People Learning Useful Skills, is to empower individuals with developmental disabilities by providing support and services that maximize independence.  With offices in Nashua, New Hampshire and Lawrence and Tewksbury, Massachusetts, The PLUS Company provides a supportive environment that assists individuals with disabilities to develop skills, increase self-reliance, and become vital, productive members of their community.  The services offered allow individuals to explore residential and life skills, along with educational, vocational, and social opportunities.  Programs are created with the vision that all people with disabilities have the confidence, dignity, and skills needed to lead lives of independence and quality.

Established in 1972 by the Nashua Association for Retarded Citizens, The PLUS Company was incorporated as a non-profit entity in 1978.   In 1981 Chief Judge Shane Devine of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire issued an order which mandated that residents of the Laconia State School be deinstitutionalized and implemented a process by which those residents were allowed to return to and live in their communities.   This greatly increased the need for community-based services for people with developmental disabilities and resulted in the rapid growth of The PLUS Company. Several group homes were established in the Greater Nashua area, and an emphasis was placed on vocational training.  Over the years, The PLUS Company has continued to grow, creating innovative, individualized programming to serve the changing needs of individuals with disabilities and their communities.  In 2005, The PLUS Company’s Progress Center opened its doors, making way for more adult education classes and enrichment programs.  In 2010 The PLUS Company purchased 19 Chestnut Street in Nashua, which will allow for even more growth and opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the Nashua area.

Through the years, the goals and objectives of The PLUS Company have evolved to maximize options for vocational, social and financial independence, and integration for adults with disabilities. Today, the vocational focus of The PLUS Company has shifted away from sheltered workshops to inclusive employment opportunities with the community. Group homes are giving way to individually supported home environments. The result has created dramatic improvements in the lives of the people served.

Board of Directors

Robert Purcell (Chairman)
Joseph Marshall  (Vice Chairman)
Tim Kerrigan (Treasurer)
Bob Cousens (Secretary)
Bernard Streeter
John Howard
Sandy Pelletier
Michael Monks
Paul Clark
Claire Boucher
Edgar Carter
Kathleen Rice Orshak